12-R265

2012 -- H 8136

Enacted 05/09/12

 

 

H O U S E R E S O L U T I O N

PROCLAIMING MAY 9, 2012, TO BE CHILDREN’S MENTAL HEALTH DAY IN THE

STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

     

     

     Introduced By: Representatives O`Grady, Petrarca, Menard, MacBeth, and Tomasso

     Date Introduced: May 09, 2012

 

 

 

     WHEREAS, States and communities across the country have set aside May 9th as a day to

raise awareness about the importance of children’s mental health and to increase understanding

about the mental health needs of children and their families; and

     WHEREAS, All too often, young people are faced with serious challenges affecting their

mental health and, oftentimes, these challenges can have a negative impact on their quality of life;

and

     WHEREAS, Twenty percent of our young people will experience teen depression before

they reach adulthood and at any given time, ten to twenty percent of all teenagers are

experiencing symptoms of depression; and

     WHEREAS, Many teens will suffer more than one episode of depression, twenty to forty

percent will have an episode within one year, and seventy percent will have more than one by the

time they reach adulthood.  These episodes can often last eight months; and

     WHEREAS, Fifteen percent of depressed teens will develop bipolar disorder, which can

potentially jeopardize their futures; and

     WHEREAS, Only thirty-three percent of depressed teens will seek help when they

believe they are depressed, although eighty percent of the actual cases could successfully be

treated; and

     WHEREAS, Drawing attention to these potentially serious mental health challenges is a

fundamental necessity in the effort to help our young people lead more healthy and productive

lives; now, therefore be it

     RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island and

Providence Plantations hereby proclaims May 9th of 2012 to be “Children’s Mental Health Day”

and urges all the citizens of the state to become cognizant and ever vigilant of the symptoms and

treatment options for teen depression; and be it further  

     RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and he hereby is authorized and directed to

transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to Ms. Emma Hebert.

     

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LC02514

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